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Old 01-06-2011, 05:03 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Havasu AZ.
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southernstyle
Ya, I have seen the sure-to-grow product some time ago. However Where I live there is not much if any difference in price compared to rockwool, and the sure-to-grow product is not bio-degradable. If that's something you want to consider, I only mention it because it sounds like you will wind of having a lot to dispose of one way or another.

Sure To Grow FAQs - General hydroponics and indoor gardening

Rockwool is not really considered bio-degradable either, but it's made from molten rock spun like cotton candy, and sure-to-grow is made from food grade plastic. Last I checked rock is a natural organic substance, and all plastics are man made (I have never herd of a plastic mine or quarry). They say it can be recycled, but convincing your local recycler to accept it may be a problem. I'm quite sure if I placed them in my recycle bins and they haven't seen them before, they would just leave them behind for me to dispose of. I'm not saying don't use it. I'm just saying if that's a consideration, I don't see the benefit when the price is the same.

P.S. I'm just curious how do you plan for the plugs to stay moist in an operation that size until the roots are long enough to reach the water level? Do you plan to have it so the water level is adjustable, even considering the slope needed for a NFT type system (depending on how long the tubes are)? If not, 2000 individual drip connections would be a nightmare to maintain I'm sure. I also see that on their website they advertise 1 cubic foot for $15, I can get 2 cubic feet of Perlite and/or Vermiculite at my local nursery (twice as much) for that. Granted it is not formed in cubes, but it just shows that there is no advantage in price compared to volume. Anyhow, I still don't see any benefit.
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Last edited by GpsFrontier; 01-06-2011 at 06:33 AM.
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